Andy Spade Says He Has Not Seen Suicide Note, ‘Appalled’ by Media Reports

Andy Spade says he has not seen a suicide note after wife Kate Spade‘s death and is appalled by media reports regarding its contents.

The fashion icon’s husband issued a statement a day after Kate was found dead in her New York City apartment by a housekeeper, in which he debunked reports that she left a suicide note addressed to her daughter.

“I have yet to see any note left behind and am appalled that a private message to my daughter has been so heartlessly shared with the media,” Spade said.

In the statement, released by Variety, Spade touched on subjects, including the grief his family is feeling and Kate’s battle with depression.

“My daughter [Frances Beatrix] and I are devastated by her loss, and can’t even begin to fathom life without her. We are deeply heartbroken and miss her already,” he added.

The Kate Spade New York co-founder also revealed he saw no signs that she was planning to end her life.

“Kate suffered from depression and anxiety for many years,” Spade said. “She was actively seeking help and working closely with her doctors to treat her disease, one that takes far too many lives. We were in touch with her the night before and she sounded happy. There was no indication and no warning that she would do this. It was a complete shock. And it clearly wasn’t her. There were personal demons she was battling.”

Spade also clarified conflicting reports regarding the couple’s relationship status. He wrote they had lived separately for 10 months, but were not legally separated. There were no plans to divorce, they just “needed a break” to “work through” various problems.

“For the past 10 months we had been living separately, but within a few blocks of each other,” Spade wrote. “Bea was living with both of us and we saw each other or spoke every day. We ate many meals together as a family and continued to vacation together as a family. Our daughter was our priority.”

He went on to dispel speculation that the two were separated.

“We were not legally separated, and never even discussed divorce. We were best friends trying to work through our problems in the best way we knew how,” he said. “We were together for 35 years. We loved each other very much and simply needed a break.”

TMZ released what appeared to be the contents of the note Kate left behind for her daughter.

“Bea – I have always loved you,” the note allegedly read. “This is not your fault. Ask Daddy!”

In his statement, Andy went on to debunk rumors that Kate faced substance abuse problems near the end of her life.

“She was actively seeking help for depression and anxiety over the last 5 years, seeing a doctor on a regular basis and taking medication for both depression and anxiety,” Andy wrote. “There was no substance or alcohol abuse. There were no business problems. We loved creating our businesses together. We were co-parenting our beautiful daughter.”

If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).